DISTINGUISHING BETWEEN SPIRITS

Nobleton Community Church
29084 Sentinel Street PO Box 224
Nobleton, Florida 34661

Rev. Paul V. Lehmann, Pastor
813-389-8683
Nobletoncommunitychurch.org
info@nobletoncommunitychurch.org

OUR VISION IS:
To experience SPIRIT-FILLED WORSHIP AND PRAYER
To be involved in EVANGELISM, DISCIPLINING AND TRAINING PEOPLE
To use our SPIRITUAL GIFTS
To SERVE AND REACH PEOPLE FOR CHRIST, BOTH
“ACROSS THE STREET AND ACROSS THE WORLD”

Nobleton Community Church
Date August 25, 2024
Text: I John 4:1-8 II Kings 6:8-17
Pastor Paul Lehmann

Listen to live audio here

Today we will look at a spiritual gift which is important to determine if something is of God or Satan. Some translations use the word discernment for this spiritual gift mentioned in I Corinthians 12:10. In our pew Bibles (which is the R.S.V.) and the N.I.V. (which I use), we see it as distinguishing between spirits.

There are various kinds of spiritual manifestations and therefore a wide range of discerning is necessary. The distinguishing must occur between human, demonic, angelic, and the Holy Spirit. I want you to know this morning, that I agree that sometimes we engage in “spiritual warfare” against evil or demonic spirits when we should deny our flesh, or resist our own carnal desires. The problem arises when a person does stand up against Satan’s attacks, or against evil influence and they do try to “resist the enemy’ like we read in James 4:7. But still feel oppressed to the place that they can’t resist, and demons do not flee from them. We shouldn’t believe that we can stand up against demonic attacks, by reading the Word more, or praying more, unless we renounce things in our past that brought us to the point that we cannot experience victory.

The question of whether a person just wants to continue sinning, or if he or she is being demonized can be spiritually discerned. Every Christian has some degree of discernment, and can distinguish between good and evil, right from wrong. We read in Hebrews 5:14 that mature Christians “have their senses exercised to discern both god and evil.” The Berean Christians you may remember (in Acts 17:11) were commended for not being naïve. They tested the preaching of the apostles against Scripture. First John 4:1 is explicit in telling us to “not believe every spirit, but test the spirits whether they are of God.”

These passages describe the Christians role of discernment.

The word discernment means;

  1. “the quality of being able to grasp and comprehend what is obscure.
  2. It involves perception, insight, and power to see what is not evident to the average mind.
  3. Reading character and motives, and distinguishing what is true, appropriate or excellent, combined with a keen practical judgment.”

This definition is a general one, not having anything to do with spiritual gifts In itself this ability gives one an edge when dealing with people. There are many people in their everyday life that have these characteristics and are able to speak about people with good insight. However one does not necessarily have the spiritual gift of distinguishing between spirits.”

Having the Spiritual Gift of Distinguishing Between Spirits –

  • has to do with all that was in our definition, but in addition, the person with this gift, can tell if the word, the prophecy, the teaching is of God. Don’t mistake a person’s good common sense, or the ability to make good value or character judgments with one who has the spiritual gift of discernment.

Not every Christian has the spiritual gift to know if a person’s word, or actions, is the result of demonic activity, mental imbalance, or just a person who is carnal and is committed to living in the depths of sin. A spiritual gift is necessary to tell the difference. This gift may not be exercised frequently. Some who have it may be reluctant to use it because it requires a good deal of courage. It may seem judgmental sometimes. But it is comforting for the Body of Christ to know that God has not left Christians ignorant or defenseless against the tactics of Satan and his forces of evil.

THE GIFT OF DISCERNING OF SPIRITS IS: :

the special ability that God gives to some members of the body of Christ to know with assurance whether certain behavior purported to be of God is in reality divine, human or satanic.

We read in Acts 6: 1-10 where Peter apparently had the gift of discerning of spirits, (or it was the gift of a word of knowledge), when he discerned that Satan had inspired Ananias to lie about his real estate deal, and Ananias was struck dead on the spot, there was a spiritual gift involved. He repeated it with Saphira his wife, who also died. The horrifying fact for most of us is that this couple were professing Christians, born-again, spirit-filled believers, and yet Peter says to them “How is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit?”

Later Peter used the gift in Samaria, (Acts 8:18-24) to see through to th heart motives of Simon the sorcerer. He had all the assurance from God he needed to tell Simon; “may your money perish with you…you have no part or share in this ministry…your heart is not right, repent, and he also said…that he was “poisoned by bitterness and bound by iniquity” (the NIV says; “you are captive to sin…)

The gift of discernment can operate on several levels. The most obvious is the ability to know that purportedly good behavior, or when prophecy is given if it is in reality the work of Satan or God. Distinguishing of spirits is especially necessary when one hears a prophecy given.

A book entitled: “The Challenging Counterfeit” by Raphael Gasson,

who is now a Christian but formerly was a Spiritist Medium, tells it like it is. His experience has shown him, “It is very obvious that Satan is using an extremely subtle counterfeit to the precious gifts of the Holy Spirit. In his book, Gasson describes several of Satan’s counterfeits. He specifically shows, for example, how false gifts of faith miracles, healing, tongues and interpretation are produced by Satan. The counterfeit of the gift of discerning spirits he feels is clairvoyance and clairaudience.

The gift of deliverance is cleverly reproduced by the devil as well. This is why we often refer to “deliverance”, and not exorcism for someone who is being demonized Exorcism is something that Satan himself can do to fool people, but he won’t deliver someone from himself.

Gasson recalls how Satan gave him the ability to prophesy, and points out that most of these counterfeit prophecies came true. Perhaps some of you remember during the early 1960s there was a prophetess named Jean Dixon, who wrote a book about her prophesies. Most of which actually came true. This is one way the devil makes his appeals more attractive. On one occasion during the war years, for example, a man brought to Gasson an item belonging to the man’s son who was in the service. The man wanted to find out where his son was. Through his “spirit guide” (who purported to be the spirit of an African witch doctor), Gasson found out that the owner of the item was well and a prisoner of war. The father then proceeded to show Gasson a telegram from the War Department stating that his son had been killed in action more than two weeks previously. Gasson went back to his guide and verified that the soldier -son really was not dead and that the father would have this confirmed in three days. Sure enough, three days later the father got a telegram from the War Dept. apologizing for the mistake and saying that the boy was well, but a prisoner of war.”

Some mistakenly interpret this kind of prophecy as a work of God. It is in reality the work of the devil, but is no less real.

We immediately need to remind ourselves that God knows all about this deceitfulness and give adequate power to His children to prevent it.

(I John 4:4) “Greater is He that is in you, then he that is in the world.”

In Matthew 7:13-23, we see these exact same circumstances as being done by those who think they are doing them in the name of Jesus, and that their gifts come from God, but in reality, they are the works of Satan,. Jesus says that on judgment day he will say to them to depart from him, he never knew them.

We need to be careful about some things and organizations that seem to be doing such good things, that seem to be good and approved by God when in reality they are in opposition to Jesus Christ and Him crucified.

Another problem we also have is the opposite. So many people have made a judgment about people’s ministry without having the gift of discernment. They end up perhaps calling something that is of God, Satanic, and this is a frightening thing to do. There are some who have declared that any manifestation of the gifts of the Holy spirit today, have to be of Satan that they can’t be of God. This is very dangerous. I would remind you of Matthew 12;30-32, “He who is not with me is against me, and he who does not gather with me scatters. And so I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven. Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man (Jesus_ will be forgiven, but anyone who speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven either in this age or in the age to come.”

How important this is. Now I know that this passage is normally spoken of as the unpardonable sin. It means that the only sin that cannot be forgiven is; when we refuse to respond to the convicting power of the Holy Spirit and we don’t accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. When we keep on rejecting Christ, eventually the Holy Spirit may not continue to convict, and so the person continues in sin and turns their back on the Holy Spirit and refuses the grace of God.

Now we see that because this passage says, anyone who “speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven…” that this verse become very important when we are considering the manifestation of spiritual gifts. When we speak against the use of or the manifestation of a spiritual gift that we don’t like, and say that it can’t possibly be of God, or that the spirit is demonic, we better be sure that the spirit of discernment is at work and not just our own critical spirit.

We have access to all the Spiritual gifts, and we are to desire spiritual gifts, so let us desire those that will build up the church. Let us be sure of those who will make sure that we won’t be deceived by false prophecies or messages. (Let us be sure that we have the gift of interpretation in use if public tongues are used). Let us be sure we are using the gift of distinguishing between spirits when prophecy is given. Or when someone is teaching.

It is possible to teach or give out the truth, but with a human spirit, with bad motives, and certainly with an ungodly attitude, or user the direction of demons. Acts 16:16-18 shows this. Here the slave girl followed Paul and Silas around, saying correct thins. (verse 17)…”these men are servants of the Most High God, who are telling you the way to be saved.” She kept this up for many days. Now is there anything wrong with the words that she used? No, but Paul with the gift of discernment, finally turned and said, “In the name of Jesus Christ I command you to come out of her.” At that moment the spirit left her.

We can and should judge things that are said, but also the way they are said. Sometimes we can speak the truth, but our heart attitude isn’t right.

Those with the gift of prophecy or teaching often abuse their gift by not speaking with love. They are too often more interested in seeing the truth declared than in the person who is affected. When they abuse their gift they can be; hypocritical, rebellious, judgmental, insensitive, or impatient and have a negative attitude or be very demanding of others. Those with the gift of prophecy are to judge others who have the gift of prophecy. We read this in I Corinthians 14:32; “the spirits’ of prophets are subject to the control of prophets.”

You see how important in the local church that if a prophecy is given, we need other “prophets” to keep false prophecies in check. The spirit of discernment or the gift of distinguishing between spirits is absolutely necessary when these individuals speak.

We sometimes see that certain people are just good judges of character, and as we live and observe enough people we are able to discern their sincerity, or whether they are a fraud or not.

Mothers are particularly good at discerning certain things about their children. How is it that mom always seems to know exactly what is going on in another room, even when the door is shut? At least she makes the kids think so. “I know what you’re doing in there, and you better stop right now before I come in there.” Then the little brother or sister says, “See I told you so, you better stop right now or I’m gonna tell Mom.”

Well, this isn’t the kind of discernment we are talking about, but it is the kind of intuition that comes from experience and observing the behavior of someone over a period of time. When it comes to ministry we need to know if someone is speaking in the flesh, or acting according to their carnal nature or indeed they are ministering according to their spiritual gift or gifts.

Sometimes it might be necessary to discern a person’s call to the mission field. It might be that they want to go overseas for the wrong reasons. Perhaps they think it will be a good adventure, or interesting to experience another culture. Also, not everyone who pastors a church is called either. In Youngwood, PA a Lutheran pastor in our local ministerial assoc., told us. “when he graduated from college and was anticipating graduate work he decided that being a minister seemed like a pretty good “gig.” He had absolutely no sense of “call,” but just thought that being a pastor would be a good profession. NO idea of a spiritual call, or having the spiritual gifts to do this. He wasn’t even born again according to him.

When God call us, He gives us the necessary spiritual gifts especially those He wants us to have.

DISCERNMENT OR DISTINGUISHING BETWEEN SPIRITS;

How important this is for the church. Let’s not be afraid of prophecy, because it can be abused. Let’s not be afraid of the gifts of a Word of Knowledge, because it can be abused.

The gift of distinguishing spirits will help us to know if a gift is of God, of Satin, or is just of the flesh or something false.

TONGUES: THE BIGGEST CHRISTIAN FRIENDSHIP AND ONENESS BUSTER OF THE CENTURY

Nobleton Community Church
29084 Sentinel Street PO Box 224
Nobleton, Florida 34661

Rev. Paul V. Lehmann, Pastor
813-389-8683
Nobletoncommunitychurch.org
info@nobletoncommunitychurch.org

OUR VISION IS:
To experience SPIRIT-FILLED WORSHIP AND PRAYER
To be involved in EVANGELISM, DISCIPLINING AND TRAINING PEOPLE
To use our SPIRITUAL GIFTS
To SERVE AND REACH PEOPLE FOR CHRIST, BOTH
“ACROSS THE STREET AND ACROSS THE WORLD”

Nobleton Community Church
Date August 18, 2024
Text: I Corinthians 14:6:25
Pastor Paul Lehmann

Listen to live audio here

TONGUES: THE BIGGEST CHRISTIAN FRIENDSHIP AND ONENESS BUSTER OF THE CENTURY

This morning we come to the charismata or spiritual gift that has probably caused more division in the evangelical church than any other doctrinal issue. We have become so polarized that in some cases that even Pentecostals can’t have fellowship with “Charismatics“ because they don’t believe in the evidence doctrine which states that speaking in tongues is the initial evidence that one has been filled with the Holy Spirit. Therefore most Pentecostals do not believe you ae filled with the Holy Spirit unless you speak in tongues. Most “Charismatics” from independent non-denominational churches, don’t believe that tongues is necessary tor one to be filled with the Holy Spirit. They usually say though that it is available to all, just like the other gifts. Some speak in tongues and some don’t.

Then evangelicals can’t seem to have fellowship with either one since both believe in speaking in tongues. As we have already talked about, some denominations believe that the sign gifts (manifestation gifts) like tongues, prophecy, miracles, words of knowledge and wisdom and healing are no longer for today. That they ceased or ended by the end of the first century.

These things should not be in the body of Christ. I would like to try to explain what I believe the Bible teaches about this gift. That it is valid for today, but not everyone speaks in tongues, and if a person doesn’t speak in tongues, it doesn’t mean that they are not filled with the Holy Spirit.

Part of the reason this is so, is that:

  1. there are many misunderstandings about speaking in tongues. Also:
  2. there are those who are fearful of the abuses of not just tongues, but all of the spiritual gifts.

Therefore, through the years they have looked for ways to denounce those and say they are not for today. However theologians and Bible scholars, who otherwise are very careful when interpreting and what we call exegeting a passage (that simply means taking the meaning from a passage), when it comes to tongues and other spiritual gifts they lean more towards “tradition” than on what the scriptures actually say. We talked about this last Sunday.

Now let’s look at the phrase, “speaking in different kinds of tongues.” The words in Greek for “speaking in tongues” comes from two words, glossa (which means tongue), and lalein (which means to speak.) Three basic definitions have been given for the word glossa. Together the word is glossolalia.

First, it may refer to the tongue simply as an organ of speech. Luke 16;24 uses it this way, describing or referring to the tongue of the rich man.

James warns us about how we can misuse our tongue and curse people, but the same organ, our tongue, can praise God. This should not be happening James says.

Now because of a nonliteral translation of I Cor. 12:10—-

Glossa has come to mean for some, “ecstatic utterances” and some Bibles translate it this way. The Greek words ekstasis and existemi, from which we get the English word “ecstasy,” are indeed used in the New Testament, but they are always used of those who observed the phenomena and not those who participated in the phenomena.

Translating the passage in I Cor. 12:10 as ecstatic utterances associates glossa the notion of being overwhelmed by emotion and beyond self-control. Paul makes it clear later on that he prays in the Spirit (not knowing what he is saying), but also he prays with his mind and he knows exactly what he is saying. Although ekstatasis may refer to a trance as in Acts 10:10 where Peter is on the flat roof top at Cornelious’ house where we read that he fell into a trance. Then in 22:17, Paul, after he receive his sight back returned to Jerusalem and went to the temple to pray and he says, “I fell into a trance and saw the Lord speaking” The Lord told him to quickly leave Jerusalem.

But the primary focus is astonishment and terror which grips an audience which has seen the power and gifts of God. It can also just show God’s love, mercy or concern for preaching his Word.

In Kinshasa, Dr. Bill McPherson, was the Embassy doctor, and lived in a compound where he often had young people and their parents there for revival services. On one occasion when we were stationed at Boma, and I had driven to Kinshasa to see Susan who was staying at the hostel for our missionary kids. (The last year that we did that). I attended one of these meetings, when he had invited an evangelist from England to speak. After a time of singing worship praise music, He began to speak. Then after awhile Bill spoke out in tongues. Then he interpreted what he said, quoting a passage from the Psalms. The speaker stopped and listened, and then said; “Isn’t God good? I had wanted to share that verse with you, and I completely forgot, but God didn’t, and through our brother Bill, he reminded me of this verse.

So now the third meaning is simply speaking a language. But what kind of a language is it? It depends on the context where it is described. At PENTECOST After waiting in obedience to Jesus’ words, (Acts 1:4,5) the disciples were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues (or languages—Acts 2:4), Luke described the event as, hearing the mighty deeds of God spoken in their own languages. (Acts 2:6,9, 11). They spoke in foreign languages which they had never learned, and the people who spoke these languages were astonished to recognize what they were saying.

In I Corinthians 12:14 what Paul is describing is something much different from Acts, 2. At Corinth they were apparently not foreign languages, which Paul denotes by a different word, phone’—he uses this in 14:10, 11 too, because a special gift, not linguistic proficiency was necessary to understand them, nor were they meaningless ecstatic sounds, though the mind was inactive (verse 14) and the utterances, without interpretation, were unintelligible both to the speaker and any who would hear. But the languages had meaning, otherwise there would be no need to interpret what was being said. So Paul says to pray to interpret. He puts speaking in tongues on the same level as Prophecy, only if the words are interpreted by the speaker, or by someone who has been given the gift of interpretation. Otherwise the speaker should keep quiet and speak only to God when he is praying.

Tongues are best regarded as special languages not having ordinary human characteristics, and that is why when linguists try to analyze the tongues spoken by some, that they say it is gibberish, because it doesn’t contain the syntax and characteristics of a language. This in itself is a copout, because the languages spoken by a number of tribes in South Africa speak a language that is made up almost entirely of click sounds, and don’t have the normal characteristics of most spoken languages either.

The language that is given by the Holy Spirit is for worship, for a sign to unbelievers (14:22), and when interpreted, for the edification of believers.

Thus we see that there are two definitions of tongues speaking in the Bible. Speaking in tongues, is speaking in a language unknown to the speaker, but known to those who speak that language, like what happened at Pentecost. Incidentally this still happens today. The second kind of tongues speaking is in a language known only in heaven, and unknown on earth unless God gives a gift of interpretation. That’s why in I Cor. 13, Paul says that even if I speak in the “language of men (like at Pentecost) or angels” (unknown language) but I don’t have love it is like a gong or clanging cymbals.

Because false religions also promote speaking in tongues, and because it is sometimes and occultic practice we need to be aware that sometimes it means, speaking under demonic influence, or speaking in non rational ecstatic verbiage that is a psychological human response to a religious emotion. That’s why some evangelicals and churches have denounced tongue speaking as either demonic or psychological because they are afraid of false tongues. This is of course like the old adage, “throwing the baby out with the dirty bath water.”

Beyond doubt, one of the greatest theological tragedies to befall the church is the suggestion that tongues is a visible sign of having been baptized in The spirit, or filled with the spirit. This suggestion finds no warrant in scripture. Pentecostals refer to this as in quotes, the evidence doctrine“. They say that it is the additional evidence that someone is “filled with the holy spirits“. This suggestion, unfortunately finds no warrant in scripture. Tongues did accompany the spirits coming at Pentecost. Ask 2:4; 10:46; 19:6. But at other times when the spirit was received with Eagle faith, Luke says nothing about tongue speaking. Acts 8:14 Peter and John placed their hands on the people of Samaria and they received the Holy Spirit. Nothing is mentioned about them speaking in tongues, but perhaps at least some dead, or something happened. Perhaps they collapsed when the power of God hit them, which still happens today. The point is that being filled with the spirit even though sometimes someone might speak in tongues, just like an adult, believers, water, baptism, sometimes people, speaking tongues, but it isn’t something that always happens. Many times in the book of acts, it is said that the people put their faith in Jesus and accepted him, but nothing has mentioned of speaking in tongues..

Finally, what Paul says in first Corinthians 12:29–31 clearly makes clear when he inserts. The Greek negative me parentheses pronounced me parentheses, to firmly establish that all do not possess the gift of tongues. In fact, not everyone has all the spiritual gifts. Paul says; quotes, all our apostles? All our prophets? Our all teachers? Do all miracles? Do all have gifts of healing? Do All speak in tongues? Do all interpret? The answer to these phrases in Greek Are all understood as no! Paul says in verse 31; but eagerly desire the greater gifts. He follows up in chapter 14: one by saying, follow the way Of Love and legally desire, spiritual gifts, especially the gift of prophecy, so to demand the universe of tongues is to demand something which scripture does not teach. Pushing the gift on everyone is not only biblical, but can also do great personal damage.

Having said this, we must still make a place for the gift of tongues to function among Christians. It is a biblical gift, and there is no reason to be fearful of it, it is truly given by the Holy Spirit. Most certainly, we are wrong to dismiss what we have not experience as being of the devil, which is How some passes and denominations have a characterize those who speak in tongues. Paul has made it clear that the public use of tongues is to be accompanied by interpretation. This is the final gift mentioned in our text: the interpretation of tongues it is always required. If and when there is a public use of this gift. We are told in one Corinthians, 14:28 that if there is no interpreter, the speaker should keep quiet in the church and speak to himself and God. This is why this gift is usually referred to as “a prayer language.” Verse four says he who speaks in a tongue edifies himself, but he who prophecies is edifies the church. Our goal and public services is to edify and build up everyone in the body of Christ not just the speaker.

Now something that has always been rather vague from scripture is this interpretation part. Some might wonder how we will know if there is someone with the gift of interpretation in our congregation. We have seen that discernment is important period in 14: 29 referring to prophecy, we read two or three prophets should speak, and the others should weigh carefully what is said End Quote. This however has nothing to do with the interpreting tongues, but nevertheless there is a need for discernment as to the spirit of these prophesying. I believe this concern about who will interpret can be taken care of, if those who God has given the gift of speaking in tongues will pray to interpret. We read in 14: 12… since you are eager to have spiritual gifts, try to excel in gifts that build up the church. 1st 13 1st 13 quote for this reason anyone who speaks in a tongue should pray that he may interpret what he says quote once the person who speaks in tongues in a service, also interprets, we will know who has this gift of interpretation.

It is only in this way that tongues was put on the same level as prophecy. But people can understand what God is saying through the person. May we desire spiritual gifts, especially prophecy we are told. We must reconcile the validity of tongues, the importance of discernment of prophecies given, and the importance of interpretation when tongues are used. Verse 39 tells us quote my brothers, be eager to prophecy and do not forbid speaking in tongues. But everything should be done in a fitting and orderly way. In fact it is biblical to eagerly desire spiritual gifts, and to seek them zealously, so let’s not be so cautious of doing something wrong, that we inadvertently quench the spirit, and in fact are forbidding the use of tongues, which we are told not to do. May the Holy Spirit guide us into all truth.

EAGERLY DESIRE SPIRITFUL GIFTS

Nobleton Community Church
29084 Sentinel Street PO Box 224
Nobleton, Florida 34661

Rev. Paul V. Lehmann, Pastor
813-389-8683
Nobletoncommunitychurch.org
info@nobletoncommunitychurch.org

OUR VISION IS:
To experience SPIRIT-FILLED WORSHIP AND PRAYER
To be involved in EVANGELISM, DISCIPLINING AND TRAINING PEOPLE
To use our SPIRITUAL GIFTS
To SERVE AND REACH PEOPLE FOR CHRIST, BOTH
“ACROSS THE STREET AND ACROSS THE WORLD”

Nobleton Community Church
Date August 11, 2024
Text TEXT: I Corinthians 12:27-31; 14:1-4
Pastor Paul Lehmann

Listen to live audio here

The clear teaching of the New Testament is that God gives spiritual gifts to the church for the common good of the saints (1 Corinthians 12:7) and to empower her mission to evangelize the world (Luke 24:48–49; Acts 4:29–31; 1 Corinthians 14:24–25).

The most familiar lists of these gifts are in Romans 12, 1 Corinthians 12, and Ephesians 4. But the Corinthians list includes the most controversial gifts of the Spirit: healing, miracles, prophecy, tongues and their interpretation (1 Corinthians 12:9–10). On the back of your bulletin you have the list of the 9

Manifestation gifts and their function. And it’s in the context of teaching on these gifts — particularly the two most controversial gifts, prophecy and tongues — that Paul twice tells us to “earnestly desire” them, adding, “especially that [we] may prophesy” (1 Corinthians 12:31; 14:1). He leaves us no room to wiggle out of pursuing uncomfortable gifts.

I know that some wonderful, sincere Christians believe that these most controversial gifts did not extend beyond the closing of the New Testament canon. I am not here going to argue for the gifts’ continuation, even though I believe wholeheartedly that they do continue. Some resources list the “prooftexts” that are used to support ceased activity. I assume what the Holy Spirit-inspired New Testament authors assumed: The spiritual gifts would function in healthy, Holy Spirit-empowered churches until Jesus returns (1 Corinthians 13:9–12).

The questions I want to address are:

why should we desire these gifts and how should we pursue them?

Because the Bible Commands Us To

The most fundamental reason we should desire these gifts is that the Bible commands us to: “earnestly desire the spiritual gifts.” Paul says this in the same sentence he says, “pursue love” (1 Corinthians 14:1). Both are Holy Spirit-inspired imperatives.

No one disputes that we should continue to love one another. There is no command that is clearer in the New Testament (John 15:12). But neither would anyone dispute that loving one another is very hard. Love may not be controversial in the church, but its demands are very intimidating and it is often manipulated and abused.

Likewise the spiritual gifts are intimidating, some even strange, and all of them can too be manipulated and abused. All spiritual gifts are potentially dangerous, even the less controversial ones (think of the damage done by false teachers and deceptive administrators).

In a sense, handling spiritual gifts is like handling dynamite — dynamis is the Greek word for “power” often used when referring to the Holy Spirit. When used rightly the gifts are explosively loving. When used wrongly they are explosively destructive. It’s tempting not to use them at all.

The early Christians also felt this way after damaging experiences. That’s why Paul had to say things like, “do not forbid speaking in tongues,” “do not quench the Spirit,” and “do not despise prophecies” (1 Corinthians 14:39; 1 Thessalonians 5:19–20). It was tempting to not use these messy gifts.

But in commanding us to pursue love and to earnestly desire the spiritual gifts, the Bible commands us to handle dangerous things. And they are commands. Neither were options in Paul’s mind and they should not be in ours either. God has purposes for these gifts that make them more than worth the danger.

Because Spiritual Gifts Are Given to Help Us Love One Another

Pursuing love and desiring spiritual gifts are not disconnected. These gifts are given to the church to help us love one another. In 1 Corinthians 12, Paul explains that each Christian is a unique member of Christ’s body and therefore each has a unique function and receives unique gifts that benefits the “common good” of the body (1 Corinthians 12:7, 12, 29–30).

The Spirit doesn’t give us gifts in order that each of us gets our self-important moment in the spotlight. He gives us gifts so that for the greater glory of Christ we are able to pursue love through serving one another. This way no one is to think that he is not needed or that he doesn’t need anyone else (1 Corinthians 12:15, 21). The more honorable members have no place to boast and the less honorable members have no place for shame (1 Corinthians 12:22–26).

Love is the aim of the spiritual gifts. It is possible to possess and exercise impressive spiritual gifts without love. If we do, we are “nothing” (1 Corinthians 13:2).

But it’s also true that if we neglect any particular spiritual gift, if we don’t earnestly desire and pursue them, we will neglect some aspect of love and so fail to glorify Christ. Some kind of edification will not happen. We need the Spirit’s empowerment to strengthen the saints and see unsaved people “delivered . . . from the domain of darkness and transferred . . . to the kingdom of [God’s] beloved Son” (Colossians 1:13).

We are to earnestly desire the spiritual gifts of 1 Corinthians 12 and

14 as a means to pursue the love Paul describes in 1 Corinthians 13.

What Does Earnestly Desiring Spiritual Gifts Look like.?

Earnestly desiring the spiritual gifts looks like desiring them.

For the most part, the Bible is not a how-to manual. It holds out treasure to us and bids us to seek it out (Proverbs 2:4–5). Desire is the test, for desire fuels the quest. That is a key to understanding much in the Bible.

What do you do when you really want something? You don’t wait around for someone to deliver it nicely packaged, fully assembled, and ready-to-use. You go looking for it. You start asking questions of knowledgeable people. You read and watch and listen to a lot of information. You ask, seek, and knock (Matthew 7:7). If you really, really want it, you consider it worth the hard work of figuring things out and working till you get it.

That’s what earnestly desiring spiritual gifts looks like. But here are a few things for starters:

Begin with the Bible. Soak in 1 Corinthians 12–14, Romans 12, and Ephesians 4. Read the book of Acts over and over until it ruins you for your worldly comfort and pursuits and fuels your desire to experience the reality of the kingdom you read there.

Pray. If you’re tired of anything less than knowing the fullness of the Spirit and seeing the kingdom of God advance, —-your discontent and desperation will drive you to pray the kind of prayers the Lord loves to answer.

Consume Sound Teaching and Testimonies. These will fuel your desire as well as increase your knowledge.

Meet a Need. The spiritual gifts are not fireworks for our oohs and aahs. They are mainly given as means to extend love and the grace of God to others. Taking steps for the sake of Christ to love others whose needs extend beyond our capacities puts us (and them) squarely in the path of God’s grace. When we’ve asked God to help us walk on water, we must then get out of the boat.

Now let’s consider two of the Charismatic or Manifestation Gifts that are listed on the back of your bulletin, and which are projected this morning.

The Apostle Paul includes in his list of Spiritual gifts in I Corinthians 12:

MIRACULOUS POWERS AND FAITH Then in verse 28 we read; “And in the church God has appointed first of all apostles, (missionaries – sent ones- those who plant churches) *second prophets, third teachers then WORKERS OF MIRACLES. (Acts 12:1-17) Peter’s miraculous escape from prison.

We see miracles first in the Old Testament. God did miracles through Elijah (I Kings 17). He multiplied the flour and kept the oil from running out, then when the widow’s son died, God raised him from the dead through Elijah. God did miracles with the weather. No rain for 3 ½ years, then he prayed and it rained .

God still does this today. He holds back rain after prayer so that the Gospel can be preached. He did this time after time in The Congo It seems that our daughter Karen has faith when it come to praying it won’t rain. This is ironic because she enjoys sitting and watching a nice slow soaking rain. However probably the first time she prayed that it wouldn’t rain was on her wedding day. They were going to have some pictures taken outside. Rain was predicted, and the storm clouds began to form. She prayed that it would rain, and the black clouds went away and the sun came out. Then here in Florida, when our grandson (Eric’s youngest Ryder) was celebrating his 5th birthday outside by a swimming pool. Once again we saw the black clouds gathering and threatening rain, like it seems to do every afternoon in august, and even lighting. Well she prayer again that it wouldn’t rain. The clouds went away and the sun came out with no interruption to our little party.

Karen and I played tennis together a few years ago against a couple of men from my son’s church. One of the men couldn’t come, so she was my partner. We no sooner got to the courts and the black clouds came. Then It began to sprinkle. She prayed Lord please make the rain stop so we can play some tennis this evening. It continued to rain a little bit more, so I prayed too and reminded God of Karen’s prayer. After a couple of minutes, the rain stopped., the sun came out, and we had a great time.

Now some would say that these were all just coincidences, but it has happened so much for us that I believe that God intervened with the weather just as much today as he did when he calmed the storm on the sea of Galilee. I have read commentators who insist that there is no where in the New Testament that God gives us authority over the weather. —-Hold it! Not true. When Jesus was asleep in the boat and was awakened by the disciples because of the storm, his first words to his disciples after he calmed the storm in Luke 8:25 (this miracle is in 3 of the Gospels) —“Where is your FAITH?” Now if we aren’t supposed to be able to calm storms—-He would never have said that.

FAITH is another gift mentioned in this list of 9. It isn’t saving faith that we must have to trust Jesus as our only Savior. Or even faith to believe that he will supply our needs our protect us, but rather a special faith that believes God is going to do a specific thing at a specific time. Like George Muller who having nothing in the house to eat for the orphans he cared for, and while he was praying at the table and thanking the Lord for the food that isn’t there —yet—and then a knock at the door reveals someone who says they had prepared too much food and thought they could use it. That’s the kind of special miracle faith we are talking about.

Then there are miracles through ANGELS. I know that some of you have experienced this. Either through someone who just showed up at the right time, or even an angel in human form that helped you, and then they disappeared. There are two extremely special events I want to share with you again. You may recall the account of Stan and Connie Hotalen who served with us in the Congo. Their daughter Kristen who was about 4 years old at the time, was playing in the ront yard, but had bent down by the back car wheel to get a ball when her dad started to back up, not knowing she was there. The car knocked her down and it ran over her head. When she got up she asked her dad; “ Daddy who was that big man that lifted up the car?” The tire marks were ingrained for a brief time on her head. There was absolutely no brain damage, no retardation in any function of her brain. She is a perfectly healthy woman today. We saw her a few years ago when we drove up to Toccoa Falls GA to visit.

Angels protected a missionary home in the interior of the Congo, during the uprising after independence. A band of rebel soldiers had intended to steal a vehicle and supplies from the house and rape the women, but stopped suddenly. Some years later these missionaries saw one of the young men that was part of the Rebels that were there that night. The missionary asked him, why they all left that night instead of attacking them. The man said, that was our intention but when we saw the huge guards that surrounded your house we were about 8 feet tall holding flaming swords. When the missionary went back to the States on furlough and told this story, a man in the congregation said that on the night he was talking about was a Saturday and about 2:00pm E.S.T. 8:00 Congo time a group of 50 of us men felt led to have a prayer meeting for your protection because we heard about some of the things that were happening in the Congo. Were they transported in the Spirit there? Did the Congolese soldiers see angels symbolically, one for each of the men praying? Whatever happened in the Spirit world, it was a MIRACLE.

It was reminiscent of the account in the Old Testament when the Israelites went to battle. Elisha followed Elijah, and the mantle of God’s prophet was upon him and he received a double portion of the anointing that was on Elijah. When King Aram attacked Israel with an army of horses and chariots, Elisha was not afraid. His servant reported that they were surrounded by this army. Elisha told his servant “Don’t be afraid, those who are with us are more than those who are with them.: Then Elisha prayed. “O Lord, open his eyes so he may see. The Lord opened the servant’s eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.” (II Kings 6: 16:17)

My account of about 20 young Congolese who rescued Ron Julian and me from drowning. They disappeared within about 10 seconds. This happened with the time change when my mother was awakened to “pray for me”

If we are in the habit of praying for people whom the Lord lays on our hearts, He knows He can trust us to pray for someone in a Chrises. That’s when Miracles will happen.

THE MANIFESTATION GIFTS OF THE SPIRIT

Nobleton Community Church
29084 Sentinel Street PO Box 224
Nobleton, Florida 34661

Rev. Paul V. Lehmann, Pastor
813-389-8683
Nobletoncommunitychurch.org
info@nobletoncommunitychurch.org

OUR VISION IS:
To experience SPIRIT-FILLED WORSHIP AND PRAYER
To be involved in EVANGELISM, DISCIPLINING AND TRAINING PEOPLE
To use our SPIRITUAL GIFTS
To SERVE AND REACH PEOPLE FOR CHRIST, BOTH
“ACROSS THE STREET AND ACROSS THE WORLD”

Nobleton Community Church
Date August 4, 2024
Text TEXT: I Corinthians 13: 1-13
Pastor Paul Lehmann

Listen to live audio here

In chapters 13 and 14, the Corinthians had gotten this aspect of church life just as wrong as they had gotten everything else … but Paul still gives them encouragement and hope that their church can learn to thrive in their spiritual lives — just like we, as a church and as individuals, want to thrive in our ministry to one another and to the world around us.

Most of you are aware that I Corinthians chapter 13 is the great love chapter of the Bible, or at least you have heard verses 4-7 of that chapter quoted at weddings at least : Verse 13– “And now these three remain: faith, hope and love, and the greatest of these is love.”

Last week Pastor Wayne talked to us about the practical, motivational gifts in Romans 12 and we saw how LOVE is vital when exercising your gift. The Apostle Paul emphasizes in our text how important LOVE is when using supernatural manifestation gifts too. Two weeks ago we talked about I Cor. 12 where we saw there were 9 manifestation gifts. Some theologians and pastors talk about more than these 9 gifts, and that is possible, but as I see it from the separation of practical gifts given by the Spirit and the 9 gifts mentioned in verses 7-11 these are the ones that are the manifestation or “sign” gifts. Verse7: “Now to each on the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. To one there is given” —–

1.A message (or Word) of wisdom, to another

2,a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit., to another

3 faith by the same Spirit, to another

  1. gifts of healing by that one Spirit,, (verse 10 continues) to another 5.miraculous powers, to another

6 prophecy, to another

  1. distinguishing between spirits, to another
  2. speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to another
    1. the interpretation of tongues.

All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines.

There are still those today who insist that the above gifts are not for us they ceased to have any importance for the church, since now we have the New Testament the Word of God. Let me be clear; there is nowhere in scripture that would support that position, and more and more theologians and pastors are beginning to see that the position we call THE SECESSION DOCTRINE is only based on tradition, and the fact that they haven’t seen or experienced any of the sign/manifestation gifts.

One of the key passages they have always used to support that position is in I Cor. 13: 8-10, teaching that the “perfect” that is come is The Word of God –the Bible, but they ignore the fact that the rest of the passage shows that Paul isn’t talking about the Word, (the perfect—Greek teleios simply means “end, purpose or completion.” but the fact that we don’t know everything now. (It’s like looking through a bronze mirror like they used to use), but then when we see Christ face to face we will know, and be fully known. Then the gifts won’t continue in eternity, but faith, hope and love will.

When we pick and choose which spiritual gifts we will accept and others we refuse to accept, we are no different than the liberal scolars who say that some parts of the Bible aren’t for us.

Another flaw in the argument for the gifts ceasing is apparent with a narrow definition for prophecy and apostleship. We ended two weeks ago with saying that prophecy usually means: declaring forth the Word of God. That’s what the prophets of the Old Testament did. But on occasion they fore-told the future for individuals such as kings. When we think that there is no place for that in the church today, we miss, why Paul is including it separately in the ministry gifts. Some accept Pastor, Evangelist or Teacher without a problem, but not Prophet or Apostle. We need to realize that sometimes God gives a Word of prophecy for an individual or the church, and if it isn’t contradictory to the Bible we shouldn’t despise or reject it. God will confirm it in our hearts too if it is of him.

The summer of 1965, Jeannene and I were team leaders for Operation Mobilization in France, we discovered that some young men, not on our team, but others, would see a girl that they really liked and got along with very well. At the end of the two months they would say to the girl, “the Lord told me that we were meant to be married!” Of course she would respond; “Well until he tells me that, it isn’t going to happen.”

So, any kind of declaration in the form of a prophecy, must be judged by the one who receives it. First, it must be Biblical, and secondly, it must ring true in the other one’s heart.

A word or message from “a Prophet” isn’t equal to the inspired Word of God. Prophecies given today are not the same as how God inspired those to write Scripture. It is simply given to encourage and guide someone or the church, to accomplish God’s will for ministry. The Spirit of God will often give guidance through circumstances, personal counsel, and inward persuasion. This specific guidance does not contradict Scripture. God might also lead us through dreams, visions, or prophetic words. These must be checked, of course, to see if they are contrary to Scripture, for it alone is the sole rule of doctrine and practice. Besides prophecy,

Sometimes God confirms what he sends in a dream, by scripture which leads someone to know Jesus Christ as Savior. This happened to a woman form Algeria in France when we worked with Muslims there.

It is very easy to empty the gift of prophecy of its unique, immediate and distinctive content. It then becomes nothing more than sanctified common sense.

In Ephesians 4:11 we see Christ himself gave us both Prophets and Apostles. This often sends a red flag up to people when someone calls themselves a Prophet or an Apostle. Personally, since that word simply means sent one, I prefer the term Missionary. We always think that the term referred to only the 12 Disciples. But then why is it listed as a ministry gift? Because it only means “one who is sent by God for the task of establishing the church”

Now we need to stress that, as with the ministry of the first Apostles, so with the Prophets who with them became the foundation of the church, their authority is unique and unrepeatable.

Whatever Paul means in encouraging the gift of prophecy, he does not suggest that any Christian can be on a par with those original prophets as organs of divine revelation. Any subsequent manifestation of this gift must be submitted to the authoritative teaching of the original apostles and prophets, as contained in the Canon of Scripture.

Some evangelicals have little place for the Holy Spirit today at all. They have lost the Reformational balance of the Spirit and the Word. Instead of being allowed to work as friends, (so to speak), the Spirit and Word have been set as enemies working against each other. But Christians need both the Spirit and the Word.

As Dr. Donald Gee has said, “All Word and no Spirit we dry up. All Spirit and no Word, we blow up. With the Spirit and the Word, we grow up.”

IDENTIFYING YOUR SPIRITUAL GIFTS

Nobleton Community Church
29084 Sentinel Street PO Box 224
Nobleton, Florida 34661

Rev. Paul V. Lehmann, Pastor
813-389-8683
Nobletoncommunitychurch.org
info@nobletoncommunitychurch.org

OUR VISION IS:
To experience SPIRIT-FILLED WORSHIP AND PRAYER
To be involved in EVANGELISM, DISCIPLINING AND TRAINING PEOPLE
To use our SPIRITUAL GIFTS
To SERVE AND REACH PEOPLE FOR CHRIST, BOTH
“ACROSS THE STREET AND ACROSS THE WORLD”

Nobleton Community Church
Date July 21, 2024
Text: I Corinthians 12:27-31
Pastor Paul Lehmann

Listen to live audio here

So the question is: How do you identify your spiritual gifts? There are a couple of ways.
One, as you read about spiritual gifts in the Bible, many times one item on the list will jump out at you, and you’ll know immediately: That’s me, that’s my gift: I’m a giver … or … I love to show hospitality … or … I love serving others, and so on. Many times you’ll just know which gift is your primary gift because it resonates with who you are. Another way to identify your spiritual gift is through the input of spiritual leaders and mature believers. Sometimes others can see gifts in you that you may not be able to see for yourself. So, as you seek to understand exactly how the Holy Spirit has gifted you, listen to the leaders around you. In fact, there are even tests you can take (you can find them online) from reputable ministries that will help you discover your spiritual gifts.
Here’s the good thing about knowing what your spiritual gifts are. When you know your spiritual gifts, you often know what God is expecting you to do in certain situations.
For instance, suppose you are at someone’s house for a party and the host or someone comes into the room carrying a tray filled with glasses of iced tea. They trip and fall over a footstool that was stuck out too far. The glasses fall off and break and there is a mess on the floor. The one with the gift of mercy will run over and say: “are you okay?{ “Yes I’m okay!” But there is a cut from the glass so the one with a gift of mercy asks about a first aid kit to take care of it. The one with the gift of administration begins to make sure that it is found and also asks about a broom and dustpan, or mop or sweeper, whatever is needed. If the cut or cuts are severe they would call 911. The one with the gift of serving would immediately begin to clean up the mess. The one with the gift of generous giving would hand the host money to take care of the loss of the broken glasses and replenish the drinks that spilled.
If, your spiritual gift is giving, you are always looking for an opportunity to give, and you have the wherewithal to contribute, then you can be sure that God is calling on you to exercise your spiritual gift of giving in this situation. The same can be said for service, leadership, administration, mercy, and on and on. When you know your gift and the opportunity to use your gift presents itself, you know what God is prompting you to do. Now another spiritual gift may be present. The gift of prophecy, but it may not always be made known. That person may also have the gift of mercy or another practical gift, but they are thinking and maybe will say; “If you would have watched where you were going, you wouldn’t have tripped over the footstool” We will talk a little more about the gift of prophecy in a few minutes.
Now, one more quick note about spiritual gifts. Though there may be one or two primary gifts through which God uses you the majority of the time, you also need to be aware that at some time or another God will work through with you with some of the other spiritual gifts, at least for a short time.
For example, your primary gift may not be teaching, but there will be times when he uses you to teach others in a specific situation. Your primary gift may not be leadership, but there will be times when he uses you to lead others in a specific situation for a specific amount of time. For this reason you need to be open to receive every gift of the Holy Spirit, which, Paul said in verse 11, he gives to us “as he determines.”
Today’s message can only highlight the beginning of the journey of the Spirit-filled life, because walking in the Spirit is a long-term process of learning, seeking, and obeying …and then learning some more and seeking some more and obeying some more.
It’s a journey that the church in Corinth desperately needed to take because they were floundering in virtually every area of life. Paul penned these words in 1 Corinthians 12, 13, and 14 to help them get back on track.
It’s the same for us. Sometimes we find ourselves floundering, in desperate need to get back on track. In this case, Paul wrote these words for us, as well.
If you want to live a spiritually vibrant life, you begin by deciding simply to learn more about it — to study the Word and learn how Christian leaders have taught this subject over the years.
Now, back to one of the manifestation gifts: PROPHECY. The gift of prophecy is an example of the three different gifts. In 1 Corinthians 12:7 we read; …” Not all have the same function. We have different gifts, according to the grace given to us. If a person’s gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith.: (Romans 12:4b and 6) “Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good…to another prophecy….: verse 7 and the first part of 10. In Ephesians 4:11 we read: “ It was he who gave…some to be prophets….” We need to define Prophecy. The first way to understand this is; One who has insight into the divine will and Word of God, and possesses the power of inspired utterance. ( Greek-English Dictionary of the New Testament).
Vine’s Expository Dictionary of New Testament words says; One who speaks both the mind and counsel of God. Also: A proclaimer of a divine message, denoted among the Greeks as an interpreter of the oracles of God. So this means anyone who preaches or brings forth the Word of God by preaching or teaching.
But then the gift of prophecy can also mean one who foretells the future –a foreteller. The word was used in Greek society of soothsayers who announce beforehand the will of the gods with reference to the future, but this is only a secondary and derived sense because the prefix (pro) must be regarded not as having reference to time (meaning before), but rather as local, in the context of space. Prophets means one who speaks openly before anyone and is the technical name for an interpreter of a divine message. This technical term came also to mean the interpreters of future events. In the Old Testament, it indicates to whom and through whom God spoke…also one to whom God made known His mysteries. So generally, one to whom God revealed His purposes, one to whom God spoke… It is clear that what really characterized the prophet was immediate communion with God, a divine communication of what the prophet had to declare. This was primarily how God communicated to his people in the Old Testament. Now that we have the complete Word of God, that is still God communicating His will purpose, and plan for our lives through preaching and teaching The Word of God.
When it means more than just having specific scriptures come to mind to share with people, in the context of preaching or teaching, is when it is declaring a specific “prophecy” for someone or the church, the declaration of that which cannot be known by natural means. It is the forth-telling of the will of God, whether with reference to the past, the present, or the future. So the one who prophesies speaks forth the divine counsels of grace already accomplished. The one who prophecies fore-tells the purposes of God in the future.
So Prophesying in Romans 12:6 for instance is one who finds it especially natural to speak forth the mind and counsel of God. It is natural for them to speak forth the divine counsels of grace already accomplished. It is also natural for prophets to fore-tell the purposes of God for the future.
Brandon Dale Biggs a Christian from Oklahoma prophesied 4 months before the attempted assassination of former President Trump that it would happen. He saw in a vision God gave him, a bullet hitting Trump’s ear. He said that Trump was God intervening in this country to bring us back to God. He also correctly prophesied other world events. o
If you want to live a spiritually vibrant life, then you also need to decide to: Seek the fullness of the Holy Spirit in your daily life by asking God to fill you with his Spirit — asking in faith, with your whole heart. This isn’t a one-time experience, it’s a day-to-day experience.
And if you want to live a spiritually vibrant life, you need to decide to:
Take the necessary steps to be used by the Holy Spirit, by putting into use the gifts he has given you for the common good — for the benefit of all.
So I am encouraging you to discover all that you can about the Holy Spirit. Get to know about him, get to know him … and let him get to know you because he can make your life a masterpiece.

THE MINISTRY OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

Nobleton Community Church
29084 Sentinel Street PO Box 224
Nobleton, Florida 34661

Rev. Paul V. Lehmann, Pastor
813-389-8683
Nobletoncommunitychurch.org
info@nobletoncommunitychurch.org

OUR VISION IS:
To experience SPIRIT-FILLED WORSHIP AND PRAYER
To be involved in EVANGELISM, DISCIPLINING AND TRAINING PEOPLE
To use our SPIRITUAL GIFTS
To SERVE AND REACH PEOPLE FOR CHRIST, BOTH
“ACROSS THE STREET AND ACROSS THE WORLD”

Nobleton Community Church
Date July 14, 2024
text 1 Corinthians 12:1-11
Pastor Paul Lehmann

Listen to live audio here

In 1 Corinthians, we’ll be looking at a text that was, at one time, considered by many to be the most divisive text in the New Testament. Not when Paul wrote it, but sometime later, in the 60s and 70s, when churches began to debate the ministry and work of the Holy Spirit — and began to differ with one another on where spiritual gifts were intended to fit in to the mix.
Paul didn’t write this section of 1 Corinthians — we’re talking about chapters 12, 13 and 14 — to be divisive or exclusionary. His intention was the opposite. After dealing with so many issues in previous chapters that were tearing the church apart, Paul begins laying the foundation to help them understand how the church community is intended to work together, and how the work of the Holy Spirit is to build the church in unity and empower its ministry and outreach.

In chapters 13 and 14, the Corinthians had gotten this aspect of church life just as wrong as they had gotten everything else … but Paul still gives them encouragement and hope that their church can learn to thrive in their spiritual lives — just like we, as a church and as individuals, want to thrive in our ministry to one another and to the world around us.

Bill Bright, founder for Campus Crusade for Christ, once said “If there were only one truth I could share with the Christian world, it would be how to be filled with the Holy Spirit, for there is no single truth that is more important to the believer.”With this in mind, let’s take a look at 1 Corinthians 12:1-12 as we talk about how the ministry of the Holy Spirit is at work in our lives and in our church, and we consider how we can experience the fullness of the Spirit’s presence in all we do. There are three areas we need to focus on. Here’s the first.

  1. LET’S SEEK TO DISCOVER ALL WE CAN ABOUT THE WORK OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.

I’m saying that we need to make it a point to learn what we can learn about how the Holy Spirit works in the lives of believers — what it means to be filled with the Spirit, and the kinds of gifts he gives to God’s people.

This is what Paul said…(v. 1) Now about spiritual gifts, brothers, I do not want you to be ignorant.

The word translated “spiritual gifts” is pneumatikon, which can also be translated “things of a spiritual nature” or “things belonging to the Spirit.” Paul is saying, “Don’t overlook the spiritual side of life. Don’t be Ignorant of the role the Holy Spirit plays in your Christian walk.”There are two mistakes when it comes to spiritual things.

The first mistake is to disregard spiritual things altogether with the attitude “If I can’t see it, I don’t believe it.” This person is focused only on the material world and rejects (or is at least uncomfortable with) any reference to the supernatural. This person is likely to say, “Why pray for God to help me? I can get more done by rolling up my sleeves and working hard.” This type of person is a practical atheist, if not an actual atheist. He or she may claim to believe in God, but there is nothing in their personal life that would show any sign of a spiritual pulse.

The other mistake is to embrace everything related to spirituality without any sense of discernment or spiritual perception. There are countless pseudo-spiritual self-help speakers who talk about God and quote scripture in the context of their message — yet there’s no real Biblical substance to what they’re saying. Those who gulp down this ankle-deep theology often wonder why their spiritual lives seem so empty.

When it comes to living the Spirit-filled life there are a variety of opinions out there, and you can find fanatics on both ends of the spectrum. So it is up to you to be informed, so that you can reach a proper balance in your spiritual life without being tossed around by everyone else’s view. This is why Paul says, “Do not be ignorant.” How is this balance achieved? The Bible tells everything we need to know about the nature and work of the Holy Spirit.Through the Bible we learn that the Holy Spirit is not just some Star Wars type of force; the Holy Spirit is personal and should be referred to as “he” not “it.”

Through the Bible we learn how the Holy Spirit speaks to us and gives us direction from day to day.Through the Bible we learn how not to grieve the Spirit, and how to pray through the Spirit.

And through the Bible we learn how to experience the fullness of the Holy Spirit. So let’s take Paul’s advice. Let’s not be ignorant of spiritual things. If you want to experience the fullness of God’s Spirit in your daily life, begin with a commitment to learn more about the Holy Spirit’s work.

But you need to understand that this is an area in which mere awareness, or mere knowledge, is NOT enough. It needs to be part of your experience in your day-to-day life. And so the second step in living a spiritually vibrant life is to …

  1. LET’S SEEK TO BE FILLED WITH THE PRESENCE AND POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.

(v. 13) For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body…and were all given one Spirit to drink.

We are saved by the blood of Christ. His death on the cross bought our salvation. The Holy Spirit is involved in every aspect of conversion. He convicts us of sin [John 16:9], he calls us to repentance, he leads us to Christ [John 16:13], he regenerates us [Titus 3:5], he gives us assurance of salvation [Romans 8:16]. Now, let’s split a theological hair. When you are saved you receive the Holy Spirit — all of the Holy Spirit. When you are filled with the Holy Spirit, that doesn’t mean you get more of the Spirit. It means that the Spirit gets more of you.

Being filled with the Holy Spirit means being led by or controlled by the Holy Spirit. This is the key to victorious living. It’s the key to holy living. It’s the key to experiencing power over sin. That’s why Paul said…

So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. (Galatians 5:16)

The obvious question, then, is “How do I get filled with the Holy Spirit?” Let me warn you: It’s difficult. You’ve got to know the right things, you’ve got to do the right things, you’ve got to say the right things. There’s a specific process you go through to be filled with the Holy Spirit, and it has to be done exactly right or it won’t work at all. None of that is true!

Are you ready for the formula? Here goes… Ask.

That’s it. That’s the process, every step of it.

If you want to be filled with the Holy Spirit, ask God to fill you with the Holy Spirit. That’s what it takes. You receive the Holy Spirit the same way you receive salvation: you ask. This is why Jesus said…

“If you then who are evil know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!” (Luke 11:13)

How do you ask, you may ask? These two guidelines will help you.

  • Ask in faith. But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. (James 1:6)
  • Ask with your whole heart. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. (Jeremiah 29:13)

Here’s what I’m saying. The prayer to be filled with the Holy Spirit is not a casual, whimsical, half-hearted effort. It’s a prayer of expectation and a prayer of consecration. It’s a prayer of submission. In asking to be filled with the Holy Spirit, you are yielding yourself to God’s leadership in your life. In doing so, your life becomes a masterpiece.

There’s a third-step that I want you to see today. To live a spiritually vibrant life, you need to…

  1. LET’S SEEK TO DISCOVER OUR SPIRTUAL GIFTS AND PUT THEM EACH TO WORK IN OUR LIVES.

In this section of Corinthians Paul talks at length about spiritual gifts. He says…

4 There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit.

5 There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord.

6 There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men.

And then he tells us…

7 Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.

I like how this verse reads in the New Living Translation.

7 A spiritual gift is given to each of us so we can help each other. (NLT)

He’s saying that everyone receives a gift — or gifts — from the Holy Spirit, and these gifts are to be used in the service of, and for the benefit of, others. In this passage Paul mentions several kinds of gifts: the word of wisdom, the word of knowledge, the gift of faith, the gift of healing, the gift of discernment, the gift of speaking in tongues, the gift of interpretation. These are kind of “showy” gifts; Paul mentions them specifically here because he wants to help the Corinthian church to be more balanced in the way they put these gifts to use In Romans 12, he mentions more gifts: the gift of exhortation, the gift of giving, the gift of leadership, the gift of mercy, the gift of service, the gift of prophecy, the gift of teaching.

In other passages he talks about the gift of celibacy, the gift of hospitality, the gift of evangelism.

And I wouldn’t even say that these lists are exhaustive. There are a wide variety of gifts, and the one thing they all have in common is that each gift is used to build up others. Because…

7 …the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.

I’m saying that gifts are defined by the benefit they provide. That’s why there’s a difference between a talent and a spiritual gift.

For example, playing the piano, playing the guitar, having an awesome voice — these are not spiritual gifts. They’re talents. And a lot of people have talent. The world is full of talented people; for the right price you can get any of them.

However, I know some musicians who are more than just talented — they’re gifted in ways that go far beyond their talent.

Because he or she is more than a mere musician. Like Mary, She is a servant. Her spiritual gift is service; her musical ability gives her the opportunity to put her spiritual gift to good use. If she were suddenly unable to play the piano, she would find another way to serve, because she’s a servant first.

You don’t need to be talented in order to be gifted. Sometimes gifts and talents overlap, but not always. Now, you have been given you a gift that you can use to build up others. Maybe it is giving, or teaching, or leadership, or hospitality, or any number of other possibilities. But I can assure you of this: The Holy Spirit has given you a spiritual gift — or spiritual gifts — and God’s plan for you is to put these gifts to work for the common good, in other words: for the benefit of others.

Putting your spiritual gift to use creates purpose into everything you do.

It becomes an act of obedience to God. It goes from being a hobby to being a ministry. You’re not just playing the piano, or working in the nursery, or leading a committee, or dropping a few bucks in the plate — you’re doing the work of God. You’re being used by the Holy Spirit to minister to others. The result is that the seemingly mundane details of life take on new meaning — suddenly they are rich with eternal significance.

Guest Speaker Gary Batchelder

Nobleton Community Church
29084 Sentinel Street PO Box 224
Nobleton, Florida 34661

Rev. Paul V. Lehmann, Pastor
813-389-8683
Nobletoncommunitychurch.org
info@nobletoncommunitychurch.org

OUR VISION IS:
To experience SPIRIT-FILLED WORSHIP AND PRAYER
To be involved in EVANGELISM, DISCIPLINING AND TRAINING PEOPLE
To use our SPIRITUAL GIFTS
To SERVE AND REACH PEOPLE FOR CHRIST, BOTH
“ACROSS THE STREET AND ACROSS THE WORLD”

Nobleton Community Church
date June 30m 2024
text John 1:1-14, Titus 2:11-14, Hebrew 7:23-24, Rev 19:11-14


Guest Speaker Gary Batchelder

Listen to live audio here

THE FATHER OF THE FAITHFUL

Nobleton Community Church
29084 Sentinel Street PO Box 224
Nobleton, Florida 34661

Rev. Paul V. Lehmann, Pastor
813-389-8683
Nobletoncommunitychurch.org
info@nobletoncommunitychurch.org

OUR VISION IS:
To experience SPIRIT-FILLED WORSHIP AND PRAYER
To be involved in EVANGELISM, DISCIPLINING AND TRAINING PEOPLE
To use our SPIRITUAL GIFTS
To SERVE AND REACH PEOPLE FOR CHRIST, BOTH
“ACROSS THE STREET AND ACROSS THE WORLD”

Nobleton Community Church
June 16, 2024
text: Genesis 15:5-7; 13-16 Romans 49-12

Pastor Paul Lehmann

Listen to live audio here

In the first 8 verses of chapter 4, we see that Abraham had faith which takes God at His word. The Jew regarded Abraham (whose name before God changed it, was Abram, which means “Exalted Father), as the great founder of the Jewish race, and the pattern of all that a man should be.

After the Lord had promised a son to Abram He spoke to him in a vision and told him to not be afraid, that He would protect him and that his reward would be great. At first Abraham wondered what good all of God’s blessing would be if he didn’t have a son. But God showed Abram the night sky and said to him, “Look up into the heavens and count the stars if you can. Your descendants will be like that—too many to count!”

“And Abram believed the Lord, and the Lord declared him righteous because of his faith.” As God made this covenant with Abram he changed his name to-

Abraham which means: “Father of many.”

You see, it wasn’t because of anything that Abram had done, or hadn’t done, but only because of his FAITH, that he received the promise of God. What were his experiences concerning this question of being saved by faith? –This is Paul’s question in Romans 4:1. Was it because o his good deeds that God accepted him? If so, he would have had something to boast about. In Ephesians 2:8-10 we see that we are saved through faith not works so that we don’t boast about it. So from God’s point of view Abraham had no basis at all for pride. For the Scriptures tell us, “Abraham believed God, so God declared him to be righteous.

The Jews were proud to be called children of Abraham. Paul uses Abraham as a good example of someone who was saved by faith. By emphasizing faith, Paul is not saying that God’s law is unimportant (verse 13), but that it is impossible to be saved simply by obeying it. If a person could earn right standing with God by being good, the granting of that gift wouldn’t be a free act; it would be an obligation. Our self-reliance is futile, all we can do is cast ourselves on God’s mercy and grace.

When some people learn that they are saved by God through faith, they start to worry “Do I have enough faith? They wonder. “Is my faith strong enough to save me?” If you are thinking like this, you have missed the point. It is Jesus Christ who saves us, not our feelings or actions, and he is strong enough to save us no matter how weak our faith is. Jesus offers us salvation as a gift because he loves us, not because we have earned it through our powerful faith. What, then is the role of saving faith? Faith is believing and trusting in Jesus Christ and reaching out to accept his wonderful gift of salvation.

Verse 4—6 “When people work, their wages are not a gift. Workers earn what they receive. But people are declared righteous because of their faith, not because of their work. King David spoke of this, describing the happiness of an undeserving sinner who is declared to be righteous:

(7-8) “Oh, what joy for those whose disobedience is forgiven, whose sins are put out of sight. Yes, what joy for those whose sin is no longer counted against them by the Lord.”

What can we do to get rid of guilt? King David was guilty of terrible sins that we talked about last week. Adultery, murder, lying, and yet he experienced the joy of forgiveness. We, too, can have this joy when we

1.) Quit denying our guilt and recognize that we have sinned.

2.) Admit our guilt to God and ask for his forgiveness.

3.) Let go of our guilt and believe that God has forgiven us.

This can be difficult when a sin has taken root in our life over many years, when it is very serious, or when it involves others. We must remember that Jesus is willing and able to forgive every sin. In view of the tremendous price he paid on the cross, it is arrogant to think that there is any sin too great for him to forgive. Even though our faith is weak, our conscience is sensitive, and our memory haunts us, Gods Word declares that sins confessed are sins forgiven.

(I John 1;9)

In Romans 4:9-12 Paul is declaring that Abraham is not the father of those who have been circumcised; he is the father of those who make the same act of faith in God as he made. He is the father of every man who in every age takes God at his Word as he did. A man may be circumcised, of pure Jewish linage, and yet not be a descendant of Abraham. Rituals did not earn any reward for Abraham. He had been blessed long before the circumcision ceremony was introduced. Abraham found favor with God by faith alone, before he was circumcised. (Gen. 17:1-14)

The key factor was faith. Abraham believed God. He had faith in what God told him. This was belief in the God who makes the impossible possible. Abraham was 99 years old, and Sarah was 89. It was biologically impossible for them to have children, yet God had promised Abraham that his descendants would be as numerous as the stars.

As long as we believe that everything depends on our efforts we are bound to be pessimists, for experience has taught us, (as well as the world tells us), and teaches us the grim lesson that our own effort can achieve very little.

The enemy of our souls (Satan), likes to convince us that we are not of any use; particularly if you are a man, and did not have a good example in your own father. Sometimes we might get to wondering if God really cares about us, and what is the purpose we have in life. Whether you have had children of your own or not, all the men here today have a purpose and God wants to use you, in whatever the number of years left that you have in your life. He wants to use you as a father to grown up children or a grandfather to yours or other peoples children in the community where you live. He cares about you. He knows where you are, both physically and spiritually.

Perhaps you have read the collection of true stories entitled “Chicken Soup for the Soul for the Christian Soul.” There is a powerful illustration of the importance of recognizing that our faith is in a God of the impossible, and that He cares about us, both those who are faithful to Him, and those who are struggling.

The account is given about a traveling missionary evangelist and his family. His name is Ken Gaub. It had always been his goal to help those who were hurting. He said; “ Some people just need a little boost, and I wanted to influence their lives in a positive way.” He and his family conducted crusades not only throughout America but in many foreign countries. He established a magazine, a radio and television ministry and a youth outreach program.

But sometimes even preachers get drained and discouraged, and they wonder if they should consider another line of work. That was how Ken felt one day in the 1970s as he, his wife, Barbara, and their children drove their two ministry buses down 1-75 just south of Dayton, Ohio. He wondered silently as they traveled along; “God am I doing any good, traveling around like this, telling people about you? Is this what you want me to do?

“Hey, Dad let’s get some pizza!” one of Ken’s sons suggested. Still lost in thought, Ken turned off at the next exit, Route 741, where one sign after another advertised a wide variety of fast food. A sign, Ken thought. That’s what I need, God, a sign.

Ken’s son and daughter-in-law had already maneuvered the second bus into a pizza parlor’s parking lot, and they stood waiting as Ken pulled up. The rest of the family bounced down the steps. Ken sat staring into space. “Coming?” Barbara asked. “I’m not really hungry,” Ken told her. “I’ll stay out here and stretch my legs.”

Barbara followed the others into the restaurant, and Ken stepped outside, closed the bus doors, and looked around. Noticing a Dairy Queen, he strolled over, bought a soft drink, and ambled back, still pondering. He was exhausted. But were his doldrums a sign of permanent burnout?

A persistent ringing broke Ken’s concentration. The jangle was coming from a pay telephone. ( You remember those don’t you?—before the days of cell phones). There was a telephone booth at the service station right next to the Dairy Queen. As Ken approached the booth, he looked to see if anyone in the station was coming to answer the phone. But the attendant continued his work, seemingly oblivious to the ringing because of the noise of the traffic. Why doesn’t someone answer it? Ken wondered, growing irritated. What if it is an emergency?

The insistent ringing went on, Ten rings, Fifteen…Curiosity overcame Ken’s lethargy. Walking to the booth, he lifted the receiver. “Hello?”

Long-distance call for Ken Gaub,” came the voice of the operator. Ken was stunned. “You’re crazy!” he said. Then, realizing his rudeness, he tried to explain. “This can’t be! I was just walking down the road here, and the phone was ringing—“ The operator ignored his ramblings. “Is Ken Gaub there?” she asked. “I have a long-distance phone call for him.”

Was this a joke? He looked around to see if there was a Candid Camera crew that surely must appear. But no one came. His family was eating pizza in a randomly selected restaurant just a few yards from where he stood. And no one else knew he was here.

I have a long-distance call for Ken Gaub, sir, the operator said again, obviously reaching the limits of her patience. “Is he there, or isn’t he?”

Operator, I’m Ken Gaub,” Ken said, still unable to make sense of it. Are you sure?” the operator asked, but just then, Ken heard another woman’s voice on the telephone. “Yes, that’s him, Operator!” she said. “Mr. Gaub, I’m Millie from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. You don’t know me, but I’m desperate. Please help me.”

What can I do for you? Ken asked. The operator hung up.

Mille began to weep, and Ken waited patiently for her to regain control. Finally she explained: “I was about to kill myself, and I started to write a suicide note. Then I began to pray and tell God I really didn’t want to do this.” Through her desolation, Millie remembered seeing Ken on television. If she could just talk to that nice, kindly minister, the one with the understanding attitude….

“I knew it was impossible because I didn’t know how to reach you,” Millie went on, calmer now. “So I started to finish the note. And then some numbers came into my mind, and I wrote them down.” She began to weep again. Silently Ken prayed for the wisdom to help her.

I looked at those numbers,” Millie continued tearfully, and I thought—wouldn’t it be wonderful if I had a miracle from God, and he has given me Ken’s phone number? I can’t believe I’m talking to you. Are you in your office in California?”

“I don’t have an office in California,” Ken explained. “It’s in Yakima, Washington.” Then where are you?” Millie asked, puzzled. Ken was even more bewildered. “Millie, don’t you know? You made the call.” “But I don’t know what area this is.” Millie had dialed the long-distance operator and given the numbers to her, making it a person-to-person call. And she had found Ken in a parking lot in Dayton, Ohio.

Ken gently counseled the woman, Soon she received Jesus into her life, the one who would lead her out of her situation into a new life. Then he hung up the phone, still dazed. Would his family believe this incredible story? Perhaps he shouldn’t tell anyone about it.

But he had prayed for an answer, and he had received just what he needed—a renewed sense of purpose, a glimpse of the value of his work, and electrifying awareness of God’s concern for each of his children—all in an encounter that could only have been arranged by his heavenly Father.

Ken’s heart overflowed with joy. “Barb,” he exclaimed as his wife climbed back into the bus, “ you won’t believe this!. GOD KNOWS WHERE I AM!”

He has a purpose for each one of us!

GOD TRULY IS THE FATHER OF THE FAITHFUL

As we read in Galatians; let’s not become weary in doing good because in due time we will reap a harvest. Let’s continue to be faithful to our Heavenly Father.

ACHIEVING SANCTIFICATION PART 2

Nobleton Community Church
29084 Sentinel Street PO Box 224
Nobleton, Florida 34661

Rev. Paul V. Lehmann, Pastor
813-389-8683
Nobletoncommunitychurch.org
info@nobletoncommunitychurch.org

OUR VISION IS:
To experience SPIRIT-FILLED WORSHIP AND PRAYER
To be involved in EVANGELISM, DISCIPLINING AND TRAINING PEOPLE
To use our SPIRITUAL GIFTS
To SERVE AND REACH PEOPLE FOR CHRIST, BOTH
“ACROSS THE STREET AND ACROSS THE WORLD”

Nobleton Community Church
June 9, 2024
text I Thessalonians 5:23-24


Pastor Paul Lehmann

Listen to live audio here

Last week we saw that God is the Provider of Sanctification and that
Sanctification is entire, it permeates your entire being.
And that Sanctification is entire, it permeates your entire being.
Hebrews 4:12-13 “For the word of God is living and active and sharper than
any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit,
of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of
the heart. And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are
open and laid bare to the eyes of Him with whom we have to do.”
Now we want to look at :

3 THE PURPOSE OF SANCTIFICATION

1 Thessalonians 5:23c
“preserved complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus
Christ.”
And I hope by now we all understand the reason
Why sanctification is so important.
Ephesians 5:25-27 “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved
the church and gave Himself up for her, so that He might sanctify her,
having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, that He might
present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or
any such thing; but that she would be holy and blameless.”
It is the desire of Christ that His bride be “in all her glory, having no spot or
wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy and blameless.”
When Christ returns for His bride

He wants to find you in glory in beauty in holiness.
None of us want to be embarrassed to be found by Him in sin.
1 John 2:28-29 “Now, little children, abide in Him, so that when He appears,
we may have confidence and not shrink away from Him in shame at His
coming. If you know that He is righteous, you know that everyone also who
practices righteousness is born of Him.”
Imagine the wedding day and Him to come and find you
In sweat pants covered with paint and an old ratty T-shirt.
And God has promised to be the One who makes sure we are ready.
God will not only wash our outside,
But He will also give us attitude lessons to work on our inside.
He is making sure that when the Lord returns we are ready to meet Him.
The Provider, The Picture, The Purpose

4 THE PROMISE OF SANCTIFICATION

1 Thessalonians 5:24
At this point we can clearly see that God is in the sanctifying role
And we even see what that is and why He will do it.
We understand the need and what it is.
But we also know that there is still one glaring obstacle to overcome.
ME
Hasn’t that been the obstacle that kept us from sanctifying ourselves?
Colossians 3:5 “Therefore consider the members of your earthly body as
dead to immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts
to idolatry.”
Romans 6:11-13 “Even so consider yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive
to God in Christ Jesus. Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so

that you obey its lusts, and do not go on presenting the members of your
body to sin as instruments of unrighteousness; but present yourselves to
God as those alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of
righteousness to God.”
Yet, despite knowing that we should “kill off the old man,”
We have found that to be easier said than done.
So even though sanctification is the work of God,
How can we be sure that we won’t mess it all up?
BUT HERE IS THE BEAUTY
Your sanctification will occur.
Not based upon your submission…
Not based upon your obedience…
Not based upon your willingness…
Your sanctification will occur based upon His faithfulness.
“Faithful is He who calls you, and He also will bring it to pass.”
The guarantee of sanctification is not a guarantee based upon you,
But is a guarantee based upon God.
God is faithful to finish what He starts.
Philippians 1:6 “For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a
good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.”
Consider that great passage in Romans.
Romans 8:28-30 “And we know that God causes all things to work together
for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His
purpose. For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become
conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn
among many brethren; and these whom He predestined, He also called;
and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He
justified, He also glorified.”
It is not as though God boasts of a 70% graduation rate,

Where 7 out of every 10 people foreknown actually make it to heaven.
No, God bats 1,000.
Because He predestines 100% of those He foreknows.
He then calls 100% of those He predestines.
He then justifies 100% of those He calls.
He then glorifies 100% of those He justifies.
God finishes what He started.
He is faithful like that.
“He also will bring it to pass.”
Psalms 37:5-6 “Commit your way to the LORD, Trust also in Him, and He
will do it. He will bring forth your righteousness as the light And your
judgment as the noonday.”
1 Corinthians 1:4-9 “I thank my God always concerning you for the grace of
God which was given you in Christ Jesus, that in everything you were
enriched in Him, in all speech and all knowledge, even as the testimony
concerning Christ was confirmed in you, so that you are not lacking in any
gift, awaiting eagerly the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will also
confirm you to the end, blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God
is faithful, through whom you were called into fellowship with His Son,
Jesus Christ our Lord.”
This is why we also love the 23rd Psalm.
Psalms 23 “The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me lie
down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters. He restores my
soul; He guides me in the paths of righteousness For His name’s sake.
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil,
for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. You prepare
a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You have anointed my
head with oil; My cup overflows. Surely goodness and lovingkindness will
follow me all the days of my life, And I will dwell in the house of the LORD
forever.”

And of course we love that Psalm on a variety of levels,
But one of those reasons is because of where it ends.
“I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.”
BUT HAVE YOU EVER NOTICED WHY?
It is not because of what you do.
In fact that Psalm only records you doing two things.

It is not because of what you do.
In fact that Psalm only records you doing two things.

  • One is dwelling in God’s house.
  • The other is dying. “walk through the valley of the shadow of death”
    Those are the only things that Psalm says that you will do.
    God does the rest.
  • “He makes me like down”
  • “He leads me”
  • “He restores my soul”
  • “He guides me in the paths of righteousness”
  • He is with me
  • He comforts me
  • He prepares a table before me
  • He anoints me
  • He follows me with goodness and lovingkindness
    The point is that God does it all.
    And this is the hope and assurance
    We take into the process of sanctification.
    DO WE STILL STRIVE?
    Absolutely
    BUT WE ALSO REJOICE, KNOWING THAT GOD WILL MAKE IT CERTAIN.
    1 Thessalonians 5:11 “Therefore encourage one another and build up one another, just as
    you also are doing.”

“ACHIEVING SANTIFICATION” Part 1

Nobleton Community Church
29084 Sentinel Street PO Box 224
Nobleton, Florida 34661

Rev. Paul V. Lehmann, Pastor
813-389-8683
Nobletoncommunitychurch.org
info@nobletoncommunitychurch.org

OUR VISION IS:
To experience SPIRIT-FILLED WORSHIP AND PRAYER
To be involved in EVANGELISM, DISCIPLINING AND TRAINING PEOPLE
To use our SPIRITUAL GIFTS
To SERVE AND REACH PEOPLE FOR CHRIST, BOTH
“ACROSS THE STREET AND ACROSS THE WORLD”

Nobleton Community Church
date June 2, 2024
Text: I Thessalonians 5: 23-24
Pastor Paul Lehmann

Listen to live audio here

These final two verses tell us how our striving actually becomes a reality
(4 things)

1 THE PROVIDER OF SANCTIFICATION

1 Thessalonians 5:23a “Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you”
“sanctify” translates HAGIAZO.It literally means to set apart.
It carries the idea of being set apart from sin and thus to be holy.And this is
of course what we are looking for,
And that is what makes this statement so great!
“Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you”
We fail miserably at ridding ourselves of sin,
And Paul here reveals that God “Himself” will do it. And don’t you love the
fact that Paul adds the word “Himself”.
It reminds us that God isn’t Delegating out your sanctification to someone
else.“If you want something done right, you better do it yourself.”
God wants your sanctification done right.
He “Himself” will do it.
GOD HAS ALWAYS TAKEN SALVATION AND SANCTIFICATION
AS A PERSONAL OBLIGATION.
1 John 2:25 “This is the promise which He Himself made to us: eternal life.”

With something as important as salvation and eternal life,
God did not delegate it out to one of His subordinates.
God took care of it Himself.
1 Peter 2:24 “and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so
that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you
were healed.”
As John also said:
1 John 2:2 “and He Himself is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours
only, but also for those of the whole world.”
Furthermore, when we face temptations in this life
That threaten our progress as we seek to be holy,
We can rest assured that God had nothing to do with it.
James 1:13 “Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by
God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt
anyone.”
And even when we face trials or hardships we can be confident
That it is God who will fashion it for our good.
1 Peter 5:10 “After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace,
who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm,
strengthen and establish you.”
And so you get the picture.
While God has certainly delegated out some aspects of His kingdom…
Angels certainly made announcements
We preach the gospel
He takes care of sanctification personally.
That is also why Paul refers to Him as “the God of peace”
That doesn’t mean that He is a peaceful God.
Scripture says that He is angry at the wicked every day.

Rather, “God of peace” means that He is the God who provides peace.
He is the God who makes peace.
It was God who sent His Son to make peace between Himself and sinners.
It is God Himself who sanctifies men.
BECAUSE HE IS THE GOD OF PEACE,
HE TAKES SANCTIFICATION PERSONALLY
One of His 8 covenantal names is:
(Jehovah) YAWEH Mekadesh (The Lord who Sanctifies you)
Leviticus 22:32 “You shall not profane My holy name, but I will be sanctified
among the sons of Israel; I am the LORD who sanctifies you,”
AND WE KNOW GOD AS A SANCTIFIER.
WHAT DID HE DO TO THE 7TH DAY OF THE WEEK?
He sanctified it as holy.
WHAT DID HE DO TO THE TENT OF MEETING?
He sanctified it for Himself.
WHAT DID HE DO TO THE TEMPLE?
He sanctified it.
WHAT DID HE DO TO THE FIRSTBORN?
He sanctified them for Himself
AND WHAT DID HE DO WITH ISRAEL?
He sanctified them as a people for His own possession.
God is a sanctifier.
He does it “Himself”
Philippians 2:13 “for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work
for His good pleasure.”
HOW DOES HE DO IT?
Have you ever faced a trial or a hardship?
Hebrews 12:10-11 “For they disciplined us for a short time as seemed best
to them, but He disciplines us for our good, so that we may share His

holiness. All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but
sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the
peaceful fruit of righteousness.”
Have you ever read the Scripture and had your sin exposed?
John 16:8-11 “And He, when He comes, will convict the world concerning
sin and righteousness and judgment; concerning sin, because they do not
believe in Me; and concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father
and you no longer see Me; and concerning judgment, because the ruler of
this world has been judged.”
Jesus Himself likened to a washing, when He washed Peter’s feet saying:
John 13:10 “Jesus said to him, “He who has bathed needs only to wash his
feet, but is completely clean; and you are clean, but not all of you.”
And so whether it is discipline from the Father…
Conviction from the Spirit…
Or washing from Jesus…
We know that God does indeed do the work of sanctification.
Then, He is the Provider of Sanctification

2 THE PICTURE OF SANCTIFICATION

1 Thessalonians 5:23b
“Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely; and may your
spirit and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame”
And I hope you notice what God’s sanctification looks like.
“sanctify you entirely”
“entirely” translates HOLOTELES
It is a compound word used only here in Scripture.
HOLO means “whole” (holistic)
TELES means “the end”
When you put it together it means
“all the way through” or “through and through”
God sanctifies every single part of you.
God leaves nothing untouched.
God leaves nothing unchanged.
This is spelled out even more as you read on in the verse.
“and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete without
blame”
Over the years there has been debate as to whether man is
A trichotomy of spirit, soul, and body.
Or if “spirit and soul” refer to the same thing and man is just a dichotomy.
And if you want to hammer that out, that is fine,
But either way we can understand what Paul means.
God is not interested on cleaning up your outside apart from your inside.
We call that hypocrisy, and that has never pleased God.
Matthew 23:25-26 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you
clean the outside of the cup and of the dish, but inside they are full of
robbery and self-indulgence. “You blind Pharisee, first clean the inside of
the cup and of the dish, so that the outside of it may become clean also.”
All you have to do is read the Sermon on the Mount
What about heart murder?
What about heart adultery?
What about a lack of integrity?
What about giving or praying or fasting for show?
God has no interest in just cleaning up the body and not the soul.
His sanctification is penetrating.
He does it “entirely” through and through.

One of the best illustrations of this would be the woman at the well.
A woman that Jesus fully confronted,
Even bringing up her promiscuous past.
Some would have resented His speech as meddling or judgmental.
In reality: Jesus was unwilling to leave any sin alone.
And that is how God sanctifies.
He has no interest in a clean outside with a dirty inside.
However, God also has no interest in a clean inside with a dirty outside.
This was what many of the Greeks believed.
It was part of the Gnostic religion.
It was the idea that since the body was dying anyway, that all that really
mattered was the soul. Therefore live however you want in the body, just
make sure your soul is clean.
Paul sort of shot that down when he wrote to the Corinthians:
1 Corinthians 6:18-20 “Flee immorality. Every other sin that a man commits
is outside the body, but the immoral man sins against his own body. Or do
you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you,
whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you have
been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body.”
The reality is that if God makes you clean on the inside,
Then He expects it to affect your outside.
Philippians 2:12 “So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not
as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your
salvation with fear and trembling;”
I like the term “work out your salvation”.
It carries the picture of moving what is inside to the outside.

If your heart is made righteous, then let that filter to your tongue.
If your mind has been redeemed then let that filter to your hands.
This is what God has in mind with sanctification.
He wants a clean inside.
He wants a clean outside.
He will “sanctify you entirely”
He will make sure that you are “preserved complete, without blame”
“complete” translates HOLOKLEROS
James 1:4 “And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be
perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.”
God is working to complete His work in you.
He is not stopping short.
In one sense He works on all of you
And in another sense He finishes the work.
The end result is that all of you will be completely sanctified.
That is why Paul calls it “without blame”
And this is an interesting picture.
The Greek word for “without blame” is AMEMPTOS
Literally meaning “blameless” or “without fault”
Archaeologists who have excavated the site of Thessalonica
Have found it easy to identify the graves of the believers in that city.
For the graves of the believers all had the same word: AMEMPTOS
Obviously they loved what Paul had to say and did cling to that hope.